Since there was no way to save the Celestial Dragon, there was no point in risking his life.
Lucci had to at least keep the mission on track, because no matter how he analyzed the situation, it was a dead end for him. Even if he was executed by the Celestial Dragons and spurned by some of his companions, it didn't matter. He was going to die anyway.
Under the watchful gazes of several Hell Pirates members, Lucci closed his eyes, his wavering heart instantly settling. His resolve became absolute.
When he opened his eyes again, he had vanished into a fleeting shadow, gliding silently before the unconscious Celestial Dragon.
A bloody hole, punctured by a finger thrust, pierced through Saint Purming's forehead.
A single killing blow!
"Shh!"
Kaka whistled appreciatively at the sight. "Lucci... you're truly ruthless."
"But... killing him so easily seems like letting him off too lightly."
"There's no point wasting time on this kind of trash," Lucci replied coldly. He wiped his bloodied finger with a white handkerchief before discarding it with disgust.
Behind him, Oboro's gaze carried intrigued satisfaction.
Rob Lucci was a relatively significant figure in the world of pirates... He would later become a member of CP0 and even face off against Luffy after the Straw Hat captain ascended to Four Emperor status. His character and intelligence surpassed most operatives in the World Government's service.
The challenge Oboro had presented him... hadn't revealed his true nature.
Originally, Oboro had wanted to witness Lucci's torment and indecision, to watch the supposedly perfect agent struggle with conflicting loyalties.
But after Lucci made his choice, Oboro understood his calculated reasoning.
"Not bad," he thought to himself with grudging respect.
Indeed... Lucci had been forced to choose between protecting the Celestial Dragons and joining the Hell Pirates completely.
For now, Lucci's choice remained fundamentally loyal to the Celestial Dragons, not the Hell Pirates.
With the resolve to sacrifice himself for the mission, and having cleared his mind of hesitation, he no longer wavered in his actions.
As the Hell Pirates executed the Celestial Dragon, Dom, positioned several meters away, was already holding a Den Den Mushi camera, snapping photographs to capture the scene.
Dom held a stack of developed photos high in his hand, angling them toward the sunlight to examine them with professional satisfaction.
The others' attention was also drawn to the images, everyone understanding the worldwide sensation these photographs would cause.
"Very clear... Every one of us appears distinctly, including the expressions on the Celestial Dragon's face during his final moments..." Dom commented with cold amusement.
"Should we transmit them now?" Dom looked toward Oboro for confirmation.
"Wait a moment, there's no rush... let's complete our business here first," Oboro smiled with calculated patience.
Then, turning his attention to Yingge, Kaka, Dolan, and Lucci, he announced, "Congratulations! From today forward, you are official members of the Hell Pirates, true partners in our cause."
Kaka and Yingge both grinned with satisfaction at their successful initiation.
Dolan wiped nervous sweat from his forehead, still processing the magnitude of what they had accomplished.
To be honest, attacking a Celestial Dragon had placed unimaginable psychological pressure on him. The ingrained fear of the World Nobles ran deeper than rational thought.
As for Lucci, his expression remained completely impassive.
Partners?
Don't be ridiculous... How could pirates truly have 'friendship'? Especially in an organization like this one.
There weren't even any mentally stable individuals among this crew. Lucci's analytical mind catalogued each member's psychological profile with clinical detachment.
"Let's depart."
Immediately after speaking, Oboro summoned controlled air currents, lifting himself and the others into the sky as they soared away from the royal capital at tremendous speed.
Elsewhere, following the Battle of Twin Capes, Marine Headquarters had withdrawn and returned to Marineford for rest and strategic reassessment.
All senior officers still stationed at headquarters were summoned to an emergency meeting by Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The chain reaction caused by this marine engagement wasn't as severe as the Sabaody Archipelago incident had been... While some public opinion continued mocking the Marine and World Government, the situation remained largely under control. This improved outcome resulted from lessons learned during the previous crisis. The World Government had responded with unprecedented speed this time, preventing "Big News" Morgans from achieving his propaganda objectives and stopping public sentiment from escalating beyond manageable levels.
Therefore, Sengoku, as Fleet Admiral, didn't face significant pressure from the Celestial Dragons... After all, judging by the tactical "results," while the Marine hadn't captured the God Slayer, they had achieved a morale-boosting victory against overwhelming odds.
Most importantly, this confrontation had involved the Four Emperors and the Revolutionary Army... Even without direct engagement, the operational difficulty was undeniable.
Consequently, regardless of the Celestial Dragons' private dissatisfaction, they couldn't identify legitimate grounds for criticism or administrative retaliation.
"The Beast Pirates suffered minimal casualties, with few losses among their officers... Kaido arrived with limited forces, apparently intending to charge through our lines alone. Given those circumstances, I couldn't commit to a decisive battle against him. My primary objective remained containing his advance while focusing on the God Slayer," Admiral Aokiji reported from his position at the conference table.
Inside the traditional meeting room, headquarters Vice Admirals sat along both sides of the long table in rigid formation.
"The situation with Big Mom's forces was similar," Admiral Kizaru added with characteristic nonchalance.
Kizaru possessed a talent for eliminating elaborate details with a single dismissive sentence. Aokiji continued the briefing on his behalf.
"First, we need to fundamentally reassess the God Slayer's capabilities... According to Dracule Mihawk of the Seven Warlords, Oboro's combat ability approaches his own level... especially considering the enemy's absolute 'air superiority' advantage," Sengoku interjected, redirecting their strategic focus.
"If Hawkeye stated that assessment... there should be substantial credibility behind it," Vice Admiral Doberman nodded gravely. "After all, Mihawk is the only person to have directly engaged the God Slayer in single combat..."
"An awakened Devil Fruit ability... combined with masterful Haki application..." Vice Admiral Onigumo remarked, his tone reflecting deep concern.
"Hahahaha... now that you mention it, this young man reminds me of someone from the past," Garp suddenly interjected, his boisterous laughter disrupting the meeting's solemn atmosphere.
In fact, Garp wasn't alone in this observation; several officers present had reached the same conclusion.
Flight capabilities... absolute 'air supremacy' in combat. While their underlying abilities differed significantly, the tactical applications and strategic advantages were remarkably similar to a legendary figure from their past.
"Golden Lion Shiki," Sengoku pronounced the name with grave significance.
A man who had once rivaled Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate on the high seas... a formidable adversary familiar to both Garp and Sengoku from their younger days.
Shiki's devastating strength, beyond his masterful swordsmanship and Haki expertise, stemmed overwhelmingly from the treacherous nature of his Float-Float Fruit abilities. Under that Devil Fruit's power, the Golden Lion could effortlessly launch devastating aerial assaults while remaining beyond their reach. The only reason Shiki had been captured and imprisoned in Impel Down was his emotional breakdown following Roger's execution, he had lost rational judgment and vowed to fight Marine Headquarters to the bitter end. Otherwise, even the combined efforts of Sengoku and Garp would have struggled to apprehend him.
After his dramatic escape from the world's most secure prison, Golden Lion had vanished without a trace following his destructive rampage through Marineford.
His current whereabouts remained completely unknown. Whether he was alive or dead was anyone's guess. But Shiki belonged to a previous generation of pirates. Even if he had survived, age would have diminished his capabilities compared to the "rising" God Slayer, who hadn't even reached his prime yet.
One need only observe Garp's current condition, or consider Whitebeard's declining health...
They were all legendary figures from an earlier era... but as they aged, their physical capabilities had undoubtedly deteriorated. The gap between their current abilities and their prime years remained painfully apparent.
This reality would be incomprehensible to those who hadn't personally witnessed that bygone age of titans.
In other words, if Edward Newgate were in his prime now, the Four Emperors' dominance over the New World wouldn't be as absolute as it currently appeared.
Tap-tap-tap.
Just as the strategic meeting reached its crucial phase, urgent footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.
A sweat-drenched Marine soldier, breathless from running and abandoning all protocol, burst through the tightly secured doors.
Instantly, every high-ranking marine officer present turned their attention toward the interruption.
The overwhelming combination of battle-hardened auras and authoritative presence in the room struck the soldier like a physical blow.
But the messenger couldn't afford to be intimidated by ceremony. After swallowing hard to steady his voice, he delivered his urgent report, "Fleet Admiral... something catastrophic is happening in the East Blue!"